Today’s guest prompter is novelist Phil Giunta. Thanks, Phil!
The Prompt
Natalie arrives home from work and is perplexed that her dog is not there to greet her as usual. In fact, he is nowhere to be seen or heard. Even more disturbing is the semi-automatic pistol sitting on her coffee table and the sound of running water from the kitchen.
Tips
- Natalie could live in a city, suburb, or rural area. House or apartment. Single or married.
- It also doesn’t matter what type of dog she has.
- I did not indicate whether the gun belongs to her or not. Perhaps it’s normally hidden away. How did it get onto her coffee table? If the gun is not hers, then to whom does it belong?
Phil Giunta’s first novel, a paranormal mystery called Testing the Prisoner, debuted in March 2010 from Firebringer Press. His second novel in the same genre, By Your Side, was released in March 2013.
His short story work includes “There Be In Dreams No War” and “Root for the Undergods” featured in the anthologies ReDeus: Divine Tales and ReDeus: Beyond Borders from Crazy 8 Press.
Phil is currently editing a short story collection titled Somewhere in the Middle of Eternity for Firebringer Press and working on the paranormal thriller novella, Lineage. He is the narrator of an audio version of Testing the Prisoner, which can be heard for free at Podiobooks.com. The audio version of By Your Side is forthcoming on the Prometheus Radio Theatre feed: http://prometheus.libsynpro.com. Visit Phil’s website at http://www.philgiunta.com.
I do like these prompts and just wish I had time to do one a day! Here’s my piece of fiction as part of a post on how to let the story come to you – i.e. find the images in a prompt in real life and then weave a story from there. http://wp.me/p2bD8m-8e
Yesterday’s and today’s, all in one. http://starvingactivist.wordpress.com/2013/05/23/story-a-day-may-s-22-and-23-the-importance-of-paying-attention/
Rather than follow the prompt, I just went with the picture, because it reminded me of something. But I’ll tuck the prompt away for another time. Sarah C
Sorry for the typo! Rather >than< have Natalie proceed into the house,
Rather then have Natalie proceed into the house, like a character in a teen slasher movie in which, contradicting common sense, he or she walks into obvious danger, I had Natalie notice the prompts and then rush to a neighbor’s house where she called the police. The ensuing action involved many characters and avoided a purely interior dialogue that probably would have sounded like, “What’s that sound? Could Ginger be in the next room?”
As usual, deviated. But I enjoyed the place to where the prompt took me. Here’s the story that ensued:
http://guptacarlsonshortstories.blogspot.com/2013/05/the-next-life.html
This prompt was fun. Enjoyed it and was surprised with what came out. It’s an unusual story for me but fun
Done, and yes that was fun!
Glad you enjoyed it. I haven’t finished mine yet, but oh, the possibilities!!
Well, that was fun!